Every year since 1983, certain residents of Carol Woods have allowed themselves to be poked, prodded, tested, and analyzed by research investigators from various area universities. By studying these residents, graduate students and faculty advisors obtain data that help create their dissertations, and also lend more information to the field of aging.

A committee of dedicated and experienced individuals at Carol Woods coordinates the studies and presents volunteer opportunities to the residents. The Carol Woods Resident Research Committee is an advisory committee to the president and CEO, run by a group of residents and one staff member.

The committee serves as a channel through which Carol Woods residents can lend their time and expertise to the various needs of the academic research community. This committee stays true to Carol Woods' mission through vigorous volunteering and participation in discovering solutions to the current healthcare crisis, specifically in the geriatric realm.

The residents on the committee are former editors, scientists, teachers and researchers with many qualifications that make them an asset to the committee, and that enable them to help protect the residents' privacy and well-being through critical reviewing of each research application.

The current committee members include Lottie Applewhite, Blair Bowers, Wallace Clyde, Gay Fletcher (staff), Marcia Hellerman, William Koch, Jesse Lutz, Bob Martin, and Jai Nayar.

"Having a diverse committee is really one of our positive aspects," said William E. Koch, chairman of the Resident Research Committee and former UNC professor to medical students.

Some of the projects in progress include "Walking with Ease," "Self-Compassion as a Component of Successful Aging" and "Immediate Effects of Repetitive Contractions on Function after CNS Injury," as well as a study on improving decision-making about feeding options for dementia patients.

"In keeping with Carol Woods's mission, vision, and values, the Resident Research Committee plays an important part in ensuring that our residents are aware of aging research projects," said Gay Fletcher, staff liaison for the committee. "Residents enjoy participating in research projects, especially when it has to do with aging."

Carol Woods residents are ready and willing participants in these research studies. Volunteers understand that while they may not directly benefit from the outcome of a particular study, the research may produce results that will benefit aging generations to come.

"That spirit of contributing is part of our educational-giving outreach," said Koch.

Fletcher recives applications, mostly from investigators at the various regional academic institutions, and moves them along to the committee. All submissions reviewed by the committee must have approval from the appropriate academic review boards.

"I pull [the applications] apart from HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulatory requirements," said Fletcher, a HIPAA officer at Carol Woods. "If they get a grant to conduct research, then they go through an Institutional Review Board (IRB). Once approved by the IRBs, we require that they send us the record of approval, because we want to make sure it is an approved study before moving any further with it, to protect our residents."

Pat Sprigg, president of Carol Woods, then reviews the application and the recommendation of the committee, makes a final decision regarding the application, and informs the investigator whether or not the study can be conducted at Carol Woods.

Generally, applications come from faculty and graduate students at schools including UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, North Carolina State University, and UNC-Greensboro. A handful come in from institutions farther outside the Triangle.

As soon as resident Lee Sloane moved to Carol Woods in 1997, she hit the ground running and began participating in research projects right away.

"I was always interested in scientific research," said Sloane. "I have volunteered all my life, and I need to be useful."

Many of the studies Sloane participated in were interesting and also challenging.

"We've done studies where we had to balance in low heels and high heels, gone on obstacle courses while being asked questions about old movies, asked to name certain cities in U.S...all while going through an obstacle course where you can't stumble over dropped raincoats and books," Sloane said, referring to a study to find connections between physical activity and cognition.

Jeanne Madigan is a former occupational therapist with a master's degree from the University of Southern California and a doctorate in curriculum and education who has been participating in research projects almost as long as she has lived at Carol Woods.

Madigan relates to the students because she remembers how important it was to get a large volume of subjects to study in order to complete research.

"I especially want to help the students, because I spent a lot of years helping them get through, and I want to be there for them," she said.

Research projects vary greatly in scope when dealing with the aging population. For example, in 2007, a research application submitted by a UNC-CH School of Information and Library Science graduate student sought to explore difficulties with Internet use by elderly internet users who have mild cognitive impairment.

Another study measured the health and well-being outcomes of people who reside in different adult care homes; the study examined the way the physical design of the environment in which residents live can make a difference in the social interactions of its occupants.

Studies often focus on the emotional side of geriatric care. A set of investigators set out in 2007 to examine the experiences of caregiver volunteers in the community who provide practical, emotional, and spiritual support to individuals facing serious illness, end of life, and/or physical limitations, as well as to their families.

"Residents are so good around here!" Madigan said. "Participating in research is a good, productive thing to do, and they want to be helpful. If we can, we will do something that will help the cause. It might not help them today, but it will help somebody else tomorrow."